Application Notes

Application Notes

AppNote 280: Automated Bidirectional Solid Phase Extraction of Blood and Brain Samples using the FREESTYLE SPE Sampler

Abstract

Automated bidirectional solid phase extraction (SPE) represents a pivotal advancement in the field of analytical chemistry, particularly in the extraction and determination of drugs of abuse from challenging viscous biological matrices. This technique offers significant advantages over traditional methods by streamlining and automating the extraction process, thereby enhancing both efficiency and reproducibility. The ability to automate SPE methods using bidirectional flow ensures thorough extraction of analytes from complex matrices like blood or brain homogenate, which are notoriously difficult due to their viscosity and potential for matrix effects. By automating the extraction procedure, researchers can achieve higher sample throughput with reduced human error, leading to more reliable analytical results in forensic toxicology and clinical testing settings.

In this study, we were able to show that automated bidirectional solid phase extraction of blood and brain homogenate samples for various drug compounds prior to determination using either LC-MS/MS or GC-MS was successfully achieved using the FREESTYLE SPE* robotic sampler. Within day reproducibility was found to be between 0.8% to 10% RSD for all 162 drug compounds monitored.

Keywords

Sample Preparation, High Throughput Lab Automation, SPE, Drugs of Abuse